As I typed my previous entry I was watching overcast skies over Byron Bay hoping that the weather would eventually clear up so I could enjoy my final day there. With 20-20 hindsight, I should've been satisfied with overcast. A few hours after making that posting, the skies opened up and with the exception of a few hours here and there where it catches its breath it hasn't stopped raining since (four days and counting).
I was all set to have a nice casual night out with a bunch of my roommates for my last hurrah in Byron. The plan was to go out with English Marie (we also had a French Marie) and two Swedish girls, Bea and Analie, around 10:30 and then eventually meet up with a bunch of other people I had met along the coast since Byron is where people start diverting their routes somewhat. Sadly, at about 10:15 we had a nice little monsoon that was still going strong the next morning. It was at least as strong as the storm I got in Newcastle, but there was nary a petrol station to wander over to. Instead we had to call it a night.
The next morning I headed up to Surfers Paradise, which really isn't all that popular with surfers (there are better beaches that are short bus rides away apparently) and is not paradise -- at least not anymore. They might've paved paradise to put up a parking lot though. And high rise buildings, including the highest residential building in the world -- with the exception of every one in Nimbin, of course. Surfers developed such a reputation as a hot spot and party central that soon the town had to start jacking up real estate prices and wound up building it into a high-rise tourist trap with streets lined by shopping malls and crappy souvenir stores where you can get your fill of stuffed kangaroos and raunchy t-shirts. Aside from it being gaudy and tacky, I won't be too harsh on Surfers since I only got to see and do so much with one rain-soaked day.
I will say this much though, the nightlife is kind of overrated. I went to the Rose and Crown or Crown and Rose, some combination of the three words with a big group from my hostel. The only reason for going was we had free drinks for an hour, which wasn't entirely the case since we were dropped off 10 minutes late and the bar stopped the special 10 minutes earlier. The special was all well and good, but the club was pretty crap once the drinks actually cost money. The music, in a word, sucked and the place was filled what the English delightfully call 'muppets.' (And since you're asking, 'Dan, what's a muppet?' It's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but mannnnn...so to answer your question I don't know... Actually, a muppet is what we call a tool. I just like muppet more). Anyway, the upshot was we left the place at midnight and I don't feel the least bit bad about such a pathetic showing.
Yesterday I got into Brisbane, and you wouldn't believe it, but it's been raining here too. Thankfully, the hostel has its own bar where I eat for free because I'm here for four nights and a bar that not only gives away free drinks and gives anyone staying there cheaper rates, but it also attracts a mostly Australian crowd. At least that makes it easier to ignore the rain.
And since this has been a short, and admittedly pretty dull entry a little bonus for all those reading this who don't know me...Travelpod asks people writing a blog to actually put in recommendations and what not into our stories so that random travelers perusing the blog can get some advice (as opposed to me just saying I woke up and made toast, then I walked around, then I ate dinner and went to sleep). I'll do Travelpod one better and give a better-than-Lonely-Planet review of the hostels I've stayed at in Oz. Don't say I never did anything for you.
In Sydney, I stayed in the Jolly Swagman. I wasn't overly pleased with the location, simply because I'm not a huge fan of Kings Cross -- something to do with overrated clubs and overzealous prostitutes chasing you down the street. Aside from that and the unairconditioned rooms, the place is excellent. It's the most communal hostel I've been in and to borrow a Lonely Planet phrase, the staff is friendly and helpful. Except, they really are. For example, my friend Tom booked an East Coast package -- through the hostel -- that included 11 nights accommodation. The hostel staff sat with him for over an hour as he mapped out the whole trip and booked a hostel for each one of those nights.
In Newcastle I stayed in the Newcastle Backpackers. First off, the whole town is skippable. Second off, the hostel is nothing special. It has a nice pool, and that's about it. The kitchen is tiny, the common room is unbearably hot and both shut at 11 so there's nothing to do if you don't want to go out. You're either in a cramped 14-share with no bathrooms en suite or a four-share (same price) with bathroom en-suite minus a toilet. The sink is literally large enough for two faucets and it was next to impossible to turn in the shower. The hostel also has an obnoxious $4 charge if you have to keep your bags there till late (which most people do since most of the buses out of town are at night). On top of it all, the storage room is closed for most of the day, so you're paying to not have access to your stuff.
In Port Macquarie I stayed in the Ozzie Pozzie. The rooms are nice, but again the common area shuts at 11 and the common room (there's a lot of benches outside) is like a sauna. The kitchen at least is nice and big. Port Macquarie is small enough that you can walk anywhere from the hostel, but also big enough that you're not thrilled with the location. They also charge $10 for keeping your bags through the day, which moves the border from obnoxious to obscene.
The Aussietel in Coffs Harbour, though, delivers most services that a hostel should (although a fan that actually moves around the room instead of pointing in one spot would be nice). It's small enough that you feel like you meet everybody there. The kitchen is large and wellstocked and the common areas are enormous and although you're asked to leave at 11, no one actually kicks you out. It has a nice big pool on top of it all, and as an added bonus they put on different activities each night. One night they had an excellent bbq, other nights they make drinks for everybody and then take you to the pub.
Main Beach Backpackers in Byron was nothing special. It had a pool and a nice common area going for it. The kitchen was decent but nothing was ever clean and the refrigerators didn't shut properly so all my stuff went bad. The rooms are either eight-share and unairconditioned or massive 16-share with air con. You actually have to go outside to get to the showers, which are separate from the toilets, and you don't realize how much of a pain in the ass that is until its pouring out. At the very least, its really close to the beach and rents out free boogie boards. There are probably better places to stay, overall.
And now, I'm in bunk Backpackers in Brisbane. I typically don't like large hostels because they're more impersonal and it's harder to meet people. bunk doesn't make it any easier by supplying a pathetic common area. The kitchen is in a separate building altogether, so that's a pain in the ass. On to the good stuff though. The bathrooms are en suite so you don't have to stagger down long hallways half naked and they have air con, the first time I've needed a proper duvet in over a month in Australia. As I alluded to earlier, the bar attached is excellent, with various activities early in the night and large parties later on. They give discounts to guests and unlike most backpacker bars it attracts a lot of locals. They also give you meal vouchers if you stay four nights and put on games that allows you to win your fill of free beer. It's also smack dab in the middle of the nightlife district and only 10 minutes from downtown. The hostel also has a pool, but its right next to the bar, so it's not conducive to "illegal" late-night swims like the other places. Hope this has been helpful.
Cheers
More thumbnails ...
Brisbane Hotels
16 votes 
This is a top pick!
